Grocery shopping checklist: the tiny adulting habit that ends takeout guilt
Jul 2, 2025
Millennials spend an average of $3,455/year on dining out - compared to Gen Z’s $2,483 - but both groups eat out frequently (sources: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 ) Add in inflation, and suddenly your wallet is crying. If you've ever stared at an empty fridge and dialed take-out as a reflex - we’re in the same boat. But here's the hack: a grocery shopping checklist is the tiny habit that changes everything.
why you default to takeout (even when you don’t want to)
mental load: end-of-day brain fog makes cooking feel optional—and takeout mandatory.
empty-fridge chaos: You buy random condiments, skip essentials, and then nothing matches for dinner.
tired = overwhelmed: 48 % of Millennials and 34 % of Gen Z report being too tired to cook regularly (source)
no routine = no meals: Without a shopping plan, the kitchen becomes a no-go zone.
how generations compare: cooking habits & spending
Generation | Cook at Home (days/week) | Eat Out (nights/week) | $ on Dining Out/year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen X (1965‑80) | ~6? | – | ~$3,872 | Most skilled cooks |
Millennials (’81‑96) | 6.7 | 1.9 | ~$3,455 | Heavy diners, value appliances |
Gen Z (’97‑12) | 5.9 | 2.1 | ~$2,483 | Many lack basic skills |
Gen Alpha (’13+) | – | – | – | Savvy snackers, plant-forward, allergy-aware |
notes on the table:
Gen X leads on spending and cooking skills.
Millennials cook most but still dine out heavily.
Gen Z cooks less but eats out more; often lacking cooking confidence.
Gen Alpha is youngest and showing trends toward snacking, sustainability, and dietary restrictions.
what if the problem isn’t cooking - it’s shopping?
Think takeout equals laziness? Think again. It’s often a symptom of missing ingredients and motivation. When your pantry is chaotic, cooking feels like climbing Everest. But when ingredients match, dinner becomes less chore, more choice. A thoughtful grocery shopping checklist before you hit the store = fewer impulse buys, more real meals.
grocery shopping checklist = your weeknight wingman
makes decisions ahead of time
Your fridge becomes a toolkit. Instead of “what’s for dinner?” your checklist organizes ingredients - fridge pasta awaits!
prevents 6 pm grocery-store panic
Ever shopped hungry at 18:00 only to leave with frozen pizza? A simple checklist skips the impulse spiral.
frees up brain space
You're busy. You don’t need to guess every night. Trust in your grocery shopping checklist to carry the load.
the lazy-genius grocery checklist strategy
Here’s a no-brainer template (and see ideas for meal planning for more):
Two proteins (e.g., eggs, chicken)
Two carbs (rice, pasta)
Some veggies (fresh or frozen)
One little treat (yogurt, dark chocolate)
Mix-and-match strategy means dinners come together without chef-level planning. For more flexible planning, check our post on week meal planning and build consistency without stress.
real talk: you don’t need to be a chef
No need for Sunday prep days or culinary novels. Just get ingredients you want to eat. Learn three go-to recipes - repeat them. Boom: you're a cook.
but i don’t know how to cook (yet)
Loads of young adults didn't learn cooking early - it’s okay. But stats show Gen Z cooks 5.9 days/week, Millennials 6.7 (source)
See? They're eating at home more.
The key? A grocery shopping checklist + two easy meals = progress. And OH, a potato!’s fridge scanner makes ingredient organization painless:
Snap your fridge, let OH, a potato! identify ingredients, and automatically build your grocery checklist - so you buy only what’s needed, no more, no less.
Even better: import that viral pasta TikTok into OH,a potato! and slot it into your meal plan - it’ll tell you what to shop.
from takeout regular to chill home cook: one habit away
TL;DR: A grocery shopping checklist is your gateway to easy home cooking. You don’t need a full kitchen revamp - just wise staples. Trust your brain’s built-in autopilot and stick to the plan.
want help? here’s your starter pack
🥔 Use OH, a potato!’s fridge scanner to build your list from what you already have
Find new recipe ideas via our post on dinner ideas quick, then browse for them in OH, a potato!
Next time you shop, go in with your checklist (paper or in-app). Your future tired self - and your wallet - will thank you.
stats worth remembering
Millennials spend $3,455/year on dining out; Gen Z spends $2,483
48% of Millennials, 34% of Gen Z say too tired to cook regularly
Gen Z cooks ~5.9 days/week vs. Millennials’ 6.7 days/week (source).